SERVICE ANIMAL
POLICY CODE: 4202/5029/7272
Students or other persons with disabilities shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service
animals in all areas of the Stokes County Schools facilities where students, parents, and other
members of the public are allowed access. A student's service animal is personal property and
cannot be brought onto school property without prior knowledge and approval by the Stokes
County Board of Education. The student's need and use of the service animal shall be documented to
the extend required or permitted by applicable law. The Stokes County Schools does not provide for
training, daily care, or healthcare of service animals.
A. Service Animal Defined
A service animal is any dog (or miniature horse) that is individually trained to do work or perform
tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory,
psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or
domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The
work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler's disability.
Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or
have low vision with navigation and other tasks; alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
to the presence of people or sounds; providing non-violent protection or rescue work; pulling a
wheelchair; assisting an individual during a seizure; alerting individuals to the presence of
allergens; retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone; providing physical support and
assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities; and helping persons
with psychiatric and neurological disabilities, by preventing or interrupting impulsive or
destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of
emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for
the purposes of this definition. A service animal is not a pet. An animal whose sole function is to
provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits, or to promote
general emotional well-being is not a service animal. The distinction between a "psychiatric"
service animal and an emotional support animal depends on the work or tasks the animal performs.
STOKES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL
Page 1 of 5
SERVICE ANIMAL
POLICY CODE: 4202/5029/7272
B. General Rules for the Use of Service Animals

A service animal must be under the control of the handler.

If the primary handler is not the student, the handler must otherwise be qualified to be on
school property.

The service animal must have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless (a) the handler is
unable, because of a disability, to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or (b) the use of a
harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective
performance of work or tasks. In this case, the handler must use voice control, signals, or
other effective means to control the service animal. Stokes County Schools personnel may
ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if (a) the
animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or (b)
the animal is not housebroken.

Stokes County Schools personnel may not ask about the nature or extent of the
individual's disability, but may ask whether the animal is required because of a disability and
ask about the work or task the animal has been trained to perform.

The service animal must have a health certificate that evidences that the animal is
currently in good health, free from parasites, and has received all recommended
vaccinations.
C. Service Animal Standards of Behavior
The service animal must not interfere with the educational process of any student to the extent to
create a fundamental alteration of the educational program and must not pose a health or safety
threat to any student, personnel, or other persons. If the standards for behavior are not met, the
service animal will be excluded or removed from the school setting. This removal will be by the
handler or an appointed adult. The behavioral expectations for the service animal and standards
for the evaluation of a request to use a service animal on school premises are as follows:
STOKES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL
Page 2 of 5
SERVICE ANIMAL
POLICY CODE: 4202/5029/7272
A. Public appropriateness. The animal is clean, well groomed, does not have an offensive odor,
and does not urinate or defecate in inappropriate locations.
B. Behavior. The animal does not solicit attention, visit, or annoy any student, school employee,
or visitor to the school; does not disrupt the normal course of business; does not vocalize
unnecessarily, i.e. barking, growling or whining; shows no aggression toward people or
other animals; and does not solicit or steal food or other items from the general public.
C. Training. The animal is specifically trained to work or perform tasks to mitigate aspects of the
client's disability; works calmly and quietly on harness, leash, or other tether; is able to
perform its tasks in public; must be able to lie quietly beside the handler without blocking
aisles, doorways, etc.; is trained to urinate and defecate on command; and stays within 24
inches of its handler at all times unless the nature of a trained task requires it to be working at a
greater distance.
D. Procedures
The principal in conjunction with the Director of Exceptional Children's Program
("Director") or the school district's 504 Coordinator will determine acceptance of the animal on
campus. A written request for the Stokes County Schools to allow a service animal must be
received by the Director or 504 Coordinator at least thirty (30) school days prior to the requested
start date for the animal. The request must include a description of the work task the animal will
perform. The Director or 504 Coordinator will provide written notice of the decision prior to
the service animal's requested start date.
A parent or guardian may object to the decision by providing in writing to the Director or 504
Coordinator (a) the name of the school at which the decision is at issue and (b) the specific
resolution desired. The Director or 504 Coordinator shall investigate the matter further and
STOKES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL
Page 3 of 5
SERVICE ANIMAL
POLICY CODE: 4202/5029/7272
issue a written decision within thirty (30) days. This decision may be appealed pursuant to
Policy 1740/4010.
E. Transportation of the Service Animal
(a) Training. The bus driver and the bus monitor, if applicable, shall meet with the
animal's owner. The owner is responsible for providing information to the driver and the bus
monitor regarding critical commands needed for daily interaction and emergency/evacuation.
The animal's owner should provide an orientation to students riding the bus with the service
animal regarding the animal's functions and how students should interact with the animal.
The service animal should practice the bus evacuation drills with the student.
(b) Loading/Unloading. The service animal should board the bus by the steps, not on a lift.
(c) Seating Location. The service animal should be positioned on the floor, at the student's feet.
A representative of the Transportation Office will meet with the animal's owner to determine
whether the service animal should be secured on the bus with a tether or harness.
(d) Cessation of Transportation. Situations that would cause cessation of transportation of the
service animal include:

The service animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others

The service animal urinates or defecates on the bus

The service animal does not remain in the designated area
If transportation is suspended, it may be reinstated after additional training or after medical
issues are resolved. Parents/guardians should be informed of these consequences prior to the
first day of transportation. Although transportation may be suspended for the service animal,
the Stokes County Schools maintains the responsibility for transporting the student.
STOKES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL
Page 4 of 5
SERVICE ANIMAL
POLICY CODE: 4202/5029/7272
F. Implementation Plan
Upon approval of a request to use a service animal, the Stokes County Schools will work
with the animal's owner/handler to:

Familiarize the service animal with the campus prior to the actual start date

Orient the service animal to the school facility and students

Establish a school wide educational program to educate others on proper behavior around
the service animal

Establish a place for the service animal to urinate/defecate

Establish an evacuation plan to include the service animal and practice this plan

Establish rest times for the service animal (e.g. physical education, lunch, recess)

Identify an alternative plan in the event the service animal's primary handler is not able to
accompany the student with a disability to school

Establish a process to provide the parents with the Stokes County Schools’ policy for the inclusion
of service animals in school

In the event of the animal's illness, or an accident, additional plastic bags or absorbent
materials should be on hand at each service animal's site
G. Exclusion of Service Animal
If a service animal is property excluded, an individual with a disability shall be provided the
opportunity to participate in the service, program, or activity without having the service
animal on the premises.
Adopted: September 19, 2011
STOKES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY MANUAL
Page 5 of 5